Excerpt

A snippet from the new contemporary. (Click on the the more link)

“So you’re a doctor?” Claudia asked, making small talk as they stood poolside in the hot evening air.

Even with the bright yellow sun dipping below the horizon, the humidity soared. Sometimes it was so bad, Claudia thought she needed gills to breath. She gripped the stem of the delicate wine glass in her hand, eyeing Sexy Man, MD. He took a long swig of his Grolsh beer and she watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. He made a sexy ahh sound before turning his attention back to her, his smoky gray eyes landing on her.

Behind her, Tony cursed a string of expletives at the gas grill. Apparently, he had the heat too high and flames spewed upward when he opened the lid.

“Yes, I am.” Blake glanced Tony’s way, a questioning look flickering over his suntanned face. “Should I help him?”

“Nah,” Claudia answered, watching the near disaster take place. “He hasn’t burned the house down yet.”

Blake chuckled, a deep rumble in his chest. “Good to know.”

“Gayle tells me you and Tony play tennis. Is that how you know each other?”

“Hell, no!” Tony shouted from the other end of the patio.

Claudia cleared her throat and took a sip of wine to stifle the giggle at the embarrassed look Blake gave her.

“Dr. Marsh there is my Pops’ cardiologist.”

“A heart doctor. I’m impressed.” And she was too.

“What do you do, Claudia?” He seemed uncomfortable talking about himself and turned the point of interest to her.

“I write a newspaper column for the Star Telegram,” she said.

“No kidding? Now, I’m impressed.”

“Don’t be. I suck at it, really.”

“Don’t listen to her, Blake,” Gayle tossed over her shoulder as she exited the house. She headed for her husband and the burning grill. “She’s a wonderful writer.”

“Wait…” Realization dawned in his smoky eyes. “You write Slice of Life, don’t you?” She could only nod, feeling rather mortified. “I’ve read that column. Riveting stuff.”

“Yes, I’m sure Life As A Goldfish could seriously be called riveting.” She took another sip of her cabernet sauvignon and tried not to sound sarcastic.

“I liked that column,” he said. “It was a unique point of view.”

“From the goldfish?” She raised a questioning brow at him and shook her head. “Now you’re just being nice.”

Behind them, Tony let loose another string of colorful metaphors. Gayle used her handy spray bottle full of water to douse the flames. Claudia and Blake glanced at each other before bursting into laughter.

“Are you sure he won’t burn down the house?” Blake leaned toward her, his voice dropped low in a conspiratorial tone.

“Are you kidding? Do you know what the price tag to replace these digs would be?”

© Michelle Miles, 2005